Best Practices for First Job as a Software Engineer

Getting your first software engineering job can be somewhat tricky. If you don’t have good skills with multiple tools then it becomes worse. But learning with strategy can be helpful. Have a future mind, think about what you want to major in, then perfect in your area of specialization. Just make sure you have a linked profile, GitHub account, and a good resume. Here are some tips for you.Let's Go!

1. Be Ready & Organized
   First and foremost, apply for any vacancy you meet, even if you are not good at it. There are various steps to take when you have applied for a job or internship. Always be ready for an interview, however hard it will be. Some interviews might take various turns before being hired. Keep track of the next steps like making follow-ups, tips online, or anything you have ever read about the interviews. Get to know more about the company and its working conditions. Google calendar is useful to remind you about an interview.

2. Get a referral
   Referrals are good. Most top companies will prefer taking a referred candidate over other candidates. It's okay not to have a network, but throw the shame away and approach anyone from local area, or schoolmate who graduated before you. Make friends who have great connections. Attend meetups and connect with engineers at that company. Thank them after the meeting and let them know how much you yearn to work at their company. Meeting people in person is perfect. You can join groups on Facebook where you will meet large communities of coders.

3. Message Recruiters / Agencies
   On linkedIn, you can notice the job of a person and the company he/she is working with. Design engaging messaging for most of them. It’s a powerful social media site if you have no connection. Visit top companies and look at recruiters. Look for any connection. Try as much as possible. You can pick their emails and send grammatical text.

4. Apprenticeship programs
   If you don’t have a degree in CS or industry experience, then this is the best place to be. The apprenticeship might offer certificates. At times they offer a full scholarship learning free courses to sharpen your skills. Make friends with the company holding the programs. Sometimes they offer internships and their projects might be appealing on your resume.

5. Target Smaller Companies
   Most software engineers will look for large tech companies. But when it comes to small companies, their vacancies have fewer applicants. If you are very ambitious, remember you are new to the job, a small company might offer you perfect skills. The interview in these minor companies is much easier compared to big tech companies like Google. If you get the job, sharpen your skills, increase your technology tools and get ready for big interviews.

Software engineering jobs are abundant. The world of technology is still growing wide. Work on personal projects and make your GitHub green. The certifications are sometimes worthwhile. Let your resume talk about what you can do.